Influence of reactive gas and temperature on structural properties of magnetron sputtered CrSiN coatings

► CrSiN coatings were deposited on two substrates under different process condition using reactive magnetron sputtering technique. ► The coatings with low nitrogen content, 40% N2 has formed a crystalline structure consisting of nano-crystalline CrN, separated by an amorphous SiN phase. ► A less columnar growth is observed in CrSiN coatings deposited at low argon content, and with 3.67 at.% Si in the coatings. ► The morphology of the coatings becomes dense with increasing nitrogen content.